by Mr Royce.Mr Royce points out that there will be room in the State Herbarium for the Blackall Collection which we are at present housing for you.If you are disposing of your wooden herbarium cupboards we would be happy to house them. We are short of storage space and have no money to purchase further cupboards.

Wt. with preserving tanks, ration box without rations & kit for Lees & Douglas &collecting equipment = 1 Tn.14 cwy, 28 lbs.
i.e. wt of kit =4cwt 42 lbs.
Expected wt of rations = 11/2 cwt, H204 petrol=200lbs
Wt of permanent fixtures of vehicle =.

> 11th July 1959
Perth to Murchison. left Perth 0630hrs, got petrol at Geraldton and then on to Murchison. Arriving between 4.50 & 5.00. Country all the way up in beautiful condition, very open, free water lying everywhere.

28 parrots, cuckoo shrikes in fairly large numbers. Kestrels also frequently seen. Christmas trees and York gums also seen between Geraldton and Murchison. Walked along the Murchison to the East with Bernie Bowen. Crows roosting in the trees & large numbers of cuckooshrikes also roosting in Casuarina cristata, E. microtheca (Coolebah) along river with nesting hollows chipped out. E. camaldulensis (N.S.W. red gum) also there.

Shot a crow ("raven") in spotlight, brown irides, also cuckoo shrike because of kensts "and barrier".

We came up in too vehicles Bernie's Holden van and Museum Land Rover, both working well.
The team for the islands is:
Ride. leader & mammals
Hugh Tyndale Biscoe  Mammals
Bob Royce. Botany
Gerlof Mees  Birds
Athol Douglas  Reptiles
Bernie Bowen. Fisheries Dept. Observer.

Raven Corvus coronoides Wing 330 grey bases to breast feathers.

> 12th July 1959
Rose 6.00 am, very dark. Breakfast.
Gerlof and Hugh rose last, remarked that married men seemed to find it easier. Left Murchison about 9.00 having zeroed guns. Had trouble with my .22 barrel not striking properly, striker worn. As for about one hour & stopped about 67 miles N. of Murchison. Saw crows, weebills, butcher birds, redtailed black cockatoos, cuckooshrikes. Athol shot cookoo shrike. Country with York gums & acacia mixture, soon after came to belt of sandplain, great contrast, no trees. Low callitris etc..
Soon afterwards passed into dry belt proper with saltbush and other small low shrubs. This has continued all the way to moving camp about 15 m. before Carnarvon. This place (camp) has a low sandhill with acacia which is inhabited by numbers of birds & red kangaroos. Cookooshrikes plentiful. Shot white-winged truller at dusk. Also caught crimson clart roosting. Shot in brilliant scarlet like those at Fatisme in Sempt.

Earlier in day saw large numbers of red kangaroos and also a large fox in excellent conditions, loc. about 20 m. south of Carnarvon.

Searched for small mammals at night with light but no luck.
Will try to get cookooshrike in morning.

> 13 July
Arrived Carnarvon. Met Boksette (of Lands and Surveys Dept who is to take Astrofixes of headlands in Islands) and his two assistants. Also Dave Wright of "Lancelin" boat unable to sail that day. Spent time buying provisions etc. Then went out to Gascoyne, saw bee-eaters, kestrels, "bush canaries" and a grey brown thrush (?).

In evening went back to Whaling Station & saw some pictures taken in Berniers Dune by Ron Cooper (Cooper who applied for licence to oyster farm on Berniers). Cooper says that there are 3 macropods(?) and bandicoots at home on island. 2 of the macropods live in rocks down near waters edge & the other makes burrows under spinifex on plateau of island. Bandicoots also in spinifex once can be caught by walking in the spinifex.

They (the macropods) are fine and will come up to the fire at night.

He has seen no snakes but has seen a goanna "like a racehorse goanna".

Talked about whaling. The station is still doing well but they will not get their quota of 1,000 this year. The stocks have been too heavily hit in the Antarctic apparently some 1700 humps were taken down in the Antarctic by the fleet into the 4 day season. Apparently, when the station was set up it was believed that it would only have a useful life of 6 years. It has run for 10.

We suspect they can probably just keep on working on 400 per year by cutting down on everything.

Back on board at 10.30 & to bed - quick.

> 14 July
Sailed at 0630 , feeling rough with following wind. Did not take  Daminine and was sick on way over. Sea dropped when we got close to Dune.

The coast is forbidding, grey green vegetation on top & almost continuous high cliffs broken by reastruts (?) which occasionally run down to the waters' edge.

To White-beach to dump Boksette & party. Took series of shots of south end of Dune up to White beach. best shot key of H2O going ashore (8).
  (9) Castle point & cliffs to south, 100....
  (10) Quoin bluff looking south 100 56/8
  (10) Quoin bluff from opposite disaster cove
  (11) Drinks cove

Landed at cove & set up camp in a place well above the water and among dunes to give some shelter. Signs of tracks of lizards, mice & wallabies everywhere.
Went out about 6.30 & had a walk around with Hugh & Bernie. Saw about half a dozen wallabies between us, not much cover for them in olearia & spinifex and very shy in the half moon. Eventually three animals fairly close & shot one with .410 - was

Bettongia lesueur, F. with hairless pouch young F. wt 17 gm, HF23 (pouch young could squeak) Adult F. 55.5 length ; Tail 26.5 ;HF 9.6 : Ear 3.1 : Wt 1020g. [Coll. No. W.R. 18].

Hugh flushed out uterus - uncompleted blastocyst. Great excitement, first record for Potoroidae. [see W.R.27]. Skinned specimen and then to celebrate went out with net. Caught 3 Lagostrophus, 2F.F. one with large haired young and other immature with very small pouch. This was in scrub (very low) to the north of Disaster Cove. Head torch & quokka net. Discovered Leica IIIf. missing, very upset, probably in Bernie's vehicle in Carnarvon, to bed at 11.30.

The Lagostrophus mixture: F killed next day. Serum extracted by H.T.B. [Coll. No WR19] Wt 1200g. ; length 65.5 ; Tail, 30 ; HF. 10.4 ; Ear 4.7 : Skin & skull, skeleton, strath nug. preserved.
Lagostromus F with furred young [Coll. no. WR20] Germ extracted by HTB. Wt. 1600 g. ; length, 71.5 ; Tail, 33.5 ; HF, 10.85 ; Ear 4.2 : Skin & skull, skeleton & ug preserved. Pouch young in spirit. M testes removed. Wt: 530 g. ; length, 48.5 ; Tail, 23 ; HF. 9.1 ; Ear 3.6.

> 15th July
Out with Hugh & Bernie. Explored base of cliffs opposite Disaster Cove & walked south. Collected land shells and also fossil shells from the limestone. It appears to be lateritized. Shot heron, yellowish feet & soles of feet yellow, rest of legs grey and greenish grey in patches. tangled spinifex and low rushes find some of them to contain burrows. Dug out fresh one and found f Bettongia with large young in pouch.

[Coll. No WR21] Sketch of burrow: ends of burrow about 1 1/2 ft below surface, gradual slope from entrance ; Female exposed, young kept, well furred, Wt 82 g., Length 26.5, Tail 12.5, HF 6.5, Ear 1.8.

Shot several lizards? Ablepharus & Amphibolurus. Collected a Gehyra from an empty Boodie hole. .

Shot a bronze cookoo in a low bush, legs grey, iris red-brown,appears to be a F with egg low in U.S. Systems, new record for the island.

Set traps 16 Box traps & 22 Hayworth all baited with apple, aniseed used in some of the box traps.
Shot 2 Calamanthus, a beautiful clear song at sunset, run around tussocks & sit with tail cocked up like wren. Iris yellow, legs low coloured. Gleined emals  all evening, at 11.45 saw brilliant dull red sky through breaks in cloud between 240* & 140* extending almost 40* above the horizon. Lasted about 5 mins.

Caught immature Lagostromus [Coll. W.R.22]

> 16th July
Lights seen again by Bernie & HTB at 1.15 am and again Lancelin at 4.00am.

Boat arrived at 8.40 having left Carnarvon at 04.00. Very windy previous night , wondered if boat would come.

1 Bottingia caught in cane trap, m., baited with apple.[Coll. No. WR 23]
9.30. T. 73* (min.67*f) RH. 60 0/0
12-- Temp 78*f, T. at 1200 77*f, min 67*f, RH 54 0/0New Kodachrome. 2 photo of osprey's nest (1) f8 at 100 (2) f8/56 at 100.
Shot Calamanthus, legs and bill bone grey, iris yellowish.
Shot Amphibolus like skink(1) in low vegetation on sandhill.
T at 1300hrs 74*F RH 53 0/0 10
T at 1600hrs RH 70 Max 78*, min 66* T at 1600 73*
T at 1800 hrs. 70*f  RH 80 0/0

Very tired had sleep in afternoon.

Hugh, Athol & Bob taken to White Beach by Lancelin & walked back.

Hugh shot 1 Lagostromus [W.R. 24] nr Quoin Bluff, m. wt.1500, length 67, Tail 30.5, HF 9.6, Ear 2.9 Testes removed and caught a Lagostromus F. with pouch young [WR 26] near Castle Point. Wt 1950, length 74.5, tail 34.5, HF 10.8, Ear 4.7. Young F. wt 66, HF 5.2, Ear: 1.7, tail 9.3, length 20.4. This pouch young was hairless but able to squeak, sense of balance nearly well enough to stand. Blood extracted.

Walked out with Niel McLauchlan caught 1 m Bettongia* in headlight with net [WR 27]. Long chase, discovered that the animals will not keep still if two torches are on. Very noticeable yellow rump when being chased.

Set 24 rat traps - Breakbacks with bacon. Put in sack to be dealt with at  later date.  To bed.
[Coll. no. 27 cont.]

This was found to be a specimen of Lagorchestes hirsutus see p. Wt.1700 g. Total L. 66, Tail 27, Ear 4, HF 10.9. Testes removed for Shannon and Cleland, Blood preserved. Strach (?) preserved very large nematodes(?) 2" long, very large fat ticks collected.
All earlier animals referred to as Lagorchestes are actually Lagostrophus fasciatus.

> 17th July 1959
1 more Bettongia m. in cage trap. [Coll. No 28] length 59, Wt. 930 g., Tail 29.5, HF 9.9, Ear 3, Testes freed * whole specimen preserved in formalin. Felt very ill, could not see clearly and dreadful headache & feeling of lassitude. Found myself infested with ticks. Spent the day skiving and soon felt better after all ticks removed. Caught many ticks during the day. Nothing in the rat traps but the Bettongias appear to be taking the bacon.

At end of every meal interrogated Hugh, Bob & Athol on their long walk.
Hugh :
White beach.. Tracks of second side of banks of dead Posidonia washed up on beach. Impressions of noses where they had been pushed under the weed. To the north of white beach large numbers of boodie warrens. Spinifex (Triodia) association with low shrubs. Took specimens from Tank. H.T.B. says that most specimens seemed to be all brought in but there were some marinated skeletons. Certain areas of the floor were left untouched. 2 Tanks each approx. 12 'by 10' with 2' square opening at top. Biscoe then moved N.W. to opposite coast & then moved north. Thick scrub about 2 chains in from coast Acacia & Diplolaena. Crossed the Island over high sand dunes to a point about midway between Castle Point & Peaked Cliff. Hibiscus in centre is about 7ft high. Lipfert's estimate of 1 1/2 mph at this point could be measurable. Between Peaked Cliff & Quoin Bluff there are a large number of small valleys with dense scrub. there appear to be quite large numbers of Bettongia & Lagostrophus. At Q Bluff he also saw the small macropod which runs and not hops. One was also seen opposite Castle Point, probably the Lagerstrophus [see footnote to WR27] at Quoin Bluff in one of the valleys (south of id) saw small mouse [actually Perameles].Seemed to be large for mouse (seen in light of truck) looked like a Sminthopsis (with eyes seemed large) very bunched up. Colour seemed pale compared with other animals seen, no real idea whether the animal was shorthaired or rough coated. Seemed to run down and burrow under a bush.

From Quoin Bluff walked back along E. coast, quite a lot of animals heard.
Generally macropods seemed to be confined to the edges of the island, droppings seemed scarce in the centre. [ Note: Hugh wore sandshoes & probably avoided most of the thick areas].

Bob Bryce:
Moved up the central shrub area touching the W. Coast slightly to the N. of Castle Point. Then moved back into Aencia near Peaked Cliff. Back to the Centre again moving along the western ridges again. Mammals seemed to be densest in the lower type of vegetation not tree type i.e. in bushes where branches are right down to the ground, rarely associated with thickets o hibiscus or pittosporum but in acacia and diplolaena (native rose), eucalypts and leptosperm. Saw more than 15 altyeten.

Athol
Moved up centre & across to a point roughly opposite Castle Point. Saw no animals until opposite crater point.(Royce also found this) All seemed to be Logostrophus , on each occasion (except one time) single animals only were started. (Royce also found this). Animals always started out of mixed spinifex or even out of big spinifex. Animals invariably dodge twisting and turning among spinifex clumps. Headed towards Low Point but before reaching W. coast turned back and reached E. coast probably slightly north of Peaked Cliff, moved along the coast to Disaster Cove.

Goats
No sign seen by anyone H.T.B. & no pads along west coast but no sign of goats
Dogs and foxes
No sign . Some small macropods leave a pseuds.nose by double imprinting
Dead macropods.
Bob saw two not collected
Athol: 6 animals collected
H.T.B. I give note of white beach.
Douglas made a 200 square i.e. 800 walk put up 2 animals only in that distance, made in a most favorable area.

Went out with HTB & Bernie. Spotlight shot Perameles bouganvillei in low scrub (m.) blown out sand dunes N of Disaster Bay. After Hugh had seen it he says scale of dent(?) mouse of day before was Perameles. Bowen too also see some before at North End. [Coll. no. 29] Wt 220g. Body & Tail 29.7 cms. Tail 9, Ear 3.2, HF4.8. Testes removed & fixed for Sherman & Cleland. Took 6 photographs of bandicoot (1 fisheries, 1 Hugh, 2 Ride, 2 Douglas)
Saw a small bat at "Tunnel" north of Disaster Bay, appeared to be E. paulia.
Hugh caught Lagostrophyus with handnet.[Coll. No 30] (tagged Zool.1414m adult. Wt 1600, Tail 30, Ear 5, HF10.6 ( kept alive for Zool. Dept.)

> 18 July
Went around traps. Seagull killed by Breakback baited with bacon. Mus albocinerius caught in Hayworth baited with apple. 2nd night of setting. [Coll. No 31]f  apparently gravid Teats 2+2. Length 157 [very tip of tail appear to be white] Tail 7.5 Weight: 30 g., HF: 2.15, Ear: 155.
Trap was set on W side of island opposite Disaster Bay near the small undrout cliff with the Boodie Holes. The species does not appear to be common.

Chlorofied. The eyes went pearly grey about 1/2 hour after death. Hugh took photos for H.T.B., S. Baker, Fisheries Dept, and self.

Found to contain 5 large young 3 left, 2 right, CR lengths 21, 20, 19, 21, 19. Took photos of raised reef for Guest. Re-examined the cliffs on west side opposite Disaster Cove.

The large Bothuenkymus(?)-like fossil shells in them seem to occur with a breccia of stones in filled solution pipes (Photo), though some of these must have been of remarkable extent.
Dug out further Boodie holes under spinifex [sketch]. Lifted Hayworths and rat traps. Bettongia caught in cage trap in morning [Coll WR 32]m., Wt 1100, Length ?, Tail 27, HF 10.1, Ear 2.6, released.

Shot [Lagorchestes] m. Extracted testes [Coll W.R. 33] Shot 1830. Preserved in formalin before measurements taken.

Returned to camp and discovered that the so-called Bettongia 27 is actually Lagorchestes hirsutus and that all the others to date are actually Lagostrophus fasciatus. Hugh discovered this as he marked it with an entry for release. He and I decided that we had sufficient Bettongia and would release the captives after marking. He was doing this while I was away from camp. The field characters of the species may be summarised:

Bettongia: Very short ears, rounded ears generally pale brown all over, backs well developed with strong white front claws, tail with white hairs which may be very sparse but which form a crest on the dorsal surface of the tail, soles of feet white.
Lagostrophus fasciatus

When seen looks dark. Ears fairly long and kangaroo-like. Hair in the upper surfaces of the hind feet a beautiful golden brown, front claws and soles of feet black. Tail with a dark terminal crest of dorsal hairs. Banding may be well marked especially in young animals but not necessarily well marked in old animals.
Lagorchestes hirsutus

Pale brown in field very much like a boodie but with long ears like a banded hare-wallaby not short or rounded. hands not large & claws are black & soles of feet dark. The tail is only thinly coated with hair, there is a very faint crest of white hair on the underside of the tip.

The most conspicuous field mark at night is the very pale area around the cloak which is framed in orange pantaloons. This orange hair is much longer than any other hairs elsewhere on the body.
Tail complete. Compared with male taken earlier. Colours are identical.U.g system removed for sectioning for blastomyst. Corpus intern large. 2 young preserved in brine, F preserved in formalin.
Went out with Bernie & caught F Pemales [Coll No WR 34] about 20.00 west of the only main range of the island opposite the Boodie Warren also saw another.. Seems that these occur in the spinifex country and low scrub with Hibiscus & Frankenia along the edge of the sandhills.

Length 31, Tail 9.3, Weight 230 g.,HF 4.9, Ear 3.5. When caught in spotlight she ran frantically in all directions and was caught by me in my hand. She sprang up to 1 1/2 ft high, pouch opened backwards, 2, eyes shut, hairless.

Also caught F Bettongia with young, 6 very small, not furred [Coll.WR 35]

> 19th July
Took Lancelin to beach south of Quoin Bluff & landed in a clime. Spinifex (Triodi), association right down to the sea. In Quoins small thickets in the northern slopes & in the bottoms. On top there is a continuation of the major spinifex plain which runs up to the north end of the major spinifex plain to the north end of the Island.

Bob, Bernie and self landed. Bob says spinifex plain continues down to White Beach & up to the major midrib of the Island where the real thickets occur. Changed film (3) and took (1) Spinifex plain looking south (2) Lancelin at bottom of dune. (3) Mostly reached thicket of  native rose at west side of chie(?), may runs in the spinifex which is quite high. Collected depps(/) and photographed (4) and (5) (one for Athol).

Shot Calathamnus singing on top of low bush among spinifex 12.10 hrs:
Bill dark brown, legs brown, eyes yellowish. Bernie collected Rhagadda and Bothuenque (?).
Shot singing honeyeater in thicket in Quoin. Honeyeater singing , bill dark brown, legs brown, soles of feet whitish, Iris sepia inside of mouth & corners of mouth yellow. 

Turned over flat exfoliated stones which cover the 10 or so acres of Quoin Bluff expected to find large numbers of lizards but not a single one. This is the only area of flags that I have seen on the island. Royce says that there are other areas in the other major points such as [Low&] point on the other side of the island and down at White Beach. Royce suggested that he has only seen lizards in sand here. Can it be that this [cromint?] did not exist at the time of separation. There were living Bothriembryon & Rhaggada under the stones.

Found small holes in cliff answering to the approx size of mouse holes, there had some droppings of mice around them and many tracks. They were all in sand and in areas clear  of vegetation, many were false ends only a few inches long but conformed to a standard pattern. We measured and followed out with care: sketch of tracks and escape pattern : [Sketch]
 
In coming crossed Island from Quoins Bluff to West Coast & back cujin(?). Very tough going took us 2 3/4 hours., left at 20.00 hrs arrived W. Coast 21.20, left W. Coast arrived Quoin Bluff 22.50. Saw a single Bettong in spinifex plain spinifex then becomes mixed with belts of a small 3ft high Eucalypt, Acacia with fairly thick but low vegetation in the valleys, saw L. fasciatis here. The last few valleys are very difficult to walk through filled with olearia sbout 2ft 6in. high.
All valleys had numerous tracks in the sand but very bright full moon made it impossible to see animals. On way back noticed that the eucalyptus belts were much chillier and "cold damper" than the contrary on either side. Possibly the reason why the eucalypts have survived.
Interested to note that each valley had different vegetation from those to east & west. Royce says that this is quite common.

In Cline to S. of Quoin saw Lagostrophus and also a light coloured wallaby which was probably Lagorchestes. This record is extremely doubtful because, although the animal had a pale rump, it disappeared suddenly and probably went down a hole. i.e. could be Bettongia.

> 20 July [next page added later]
The cliffs opposite Disaster Cove appear to be made up of a limestone "country rock" which at some time has become fissured. These fissures contain small concretinary pebbles, pebbles of country rock and shells (?) (Bothriembryon). In addition, there are rounded boulders lying about the island of a very calcareous gritstone. Before packing up camp went to W. side & collected samples of (a) the country rock of the cliffs
(b) the Both. country breccia finfissures (?)
(c) grit boulders, water rounded.

Packed up camp on Dorre and left at 11.00hrs sea flat calm & very pleasant. Disaster Cove dead flat with a very gentle swell washing ashore. Noticed that the bottom is ripple marked for the first time since we have been here. Markings appear to go down 2-3 fathoms.

Hugh tried a new census method last night. He swept tracks in the sand and recorded all crossings. The tracks stretched right across the island from Disaster Cove. The North one was 126 paces long. The southern one was 74 paces long. The lines did not go down to the sea  but stretched from the cliffs on the west to the ones on the  east, down from 1800 - 7.30 hrs.
Results:
1) Northern:  2 Pembles, 25 macropods, 1 bobtail, 1 omens
2) Southern: 3 Pembles, 8 macropods, 9 mice.
Photographed gap and then whales - coent in to Shag rocks N. of Red Cliff
Point. Saw L. novahollandae, Sterna bergii, P. varius, & 2 Larus pacifices swimming in water. Photographed shags.
Put film[3] in other camera and photographed blowout N. of Red Cliff pt (1) and stretch of coast N. near to it (2). Photographed Hospital landing (3)
Landed and set up camp. Went out & Athol shot 2 goats from a herd of 7. All were adults, 2 shot were males, both had very large heads and were old and mangy.
Went out to the area of dea major diginal blowout N of Hospital Anchorage, walking & releasing Bettongia & Lagostrophus fasciatus.
Saw 1. L. fasciatus, not marked
2. Bettongia lesueri marked 1415
3. B. lesueri not marked
4 & 5 , 6 & 7 unidentified
8.L. fasciatus (chased into sea) not marked.
9 L. fasciatus on edge of sandhills (near) south of study area.
Saw L. hirsutus on edge of sandhills, near South of the study area. Field  characters were quite clear. White rump is only visible when the animal moves. Went out onto Wedge Point and collected 2 L. fasciatus, 1 young male* for captive to Zool. Dept. & 1 adult male [Coll WR36], removed testes for G.B.S. & Cleland. wt 1800, length 70.5, Tail 35, Ear 4.8, HF10.5.
Decided to kill this * for study skin & skeleton. Beures [WR 61], Zool. no. [1416]. Wt. 1000, Length 59.5, T. 26, HF 10.5, E. 5.

> 21st July 1959
After breakfast walked over to the Hospital valley & moved up the west of the area selected by Hugh as the study area. Collected lizards with Athol in the ruins of old hospital. Usual bottles lying about. Clay pipes of the Aboriginal patients and an old waggon under a bush. A very promising area for lizards.

Moved up the valley to the north and then swing north west to the opposite coast. Vert thick vegetation, mostly dense Olearia with Acacia thicket about 3-4 feet high. Saw signs of Bettong activity wherever the scrub was a bit thin and red sand predominant. Saw 1 L. fasciatus and 1 Bettong, heard several other animals also. Picked up skulls en route.

Reached W. coast about 12.20 hrs & explored 2 large caves in the sea cliffs. Signs of goats everywhere and head of a very old animal in the rocks. No bats in caves.

On the way back passed through the first patch of triodin seen on the island - a great contrast to Dorre. Picked up two bobtails, came back through hospital ruins moving approx S.E. all the way, arrived back 14.15 hrs.

Gerlof drove a great wooden spike into the sole of his foot. Hugh and I tried to remove it but without success. Athol returned and got the spike out with great difficulty. Gerlof very brave throughout.

Athol has shot 5 goats today & I shot one that he was driving in front of him, mine was an old male. Athol got 1 old male, 1 young male,and 3 females. Females all pregnant, the young animals are all in excellent condition. Athol saw about 11 1/2 to 3/4 grown kids in the day's walk.
Went out with Hugh and Bernie to study area. Nothing caught. Saw some 3 or 4 Lagostrophus. Very windy and bright moon. No animals caught.

Tried a clay net, no success, Crumbs could not be bolted.

Hugh and Bernie have set snares & swept tinch (?) right around the 5 or so acres of the study area.

> 22nd July 1959
Gerlof still very much feeling the effects of his foot. As soon as "Lancelin" comes in he will go back to Carnarvon for treatment. Bernie will go with him. Probable that he will have to stay in Carnarvon for rest of the week.

Spent morning with Gerlof waiting. I skinned male L. fasciatus(36) and made skeleton. Midday Temp. readings: Max 75* min. 65* T at 1200 75*%RH 55*%.

PM Shot 2 Billy goats 1/2 mile from camp, 1 white & 1 brown. These were probably survivors of the herd of seven that we have been shooting for the last few days. Athol got pouch foetus of Perameles [WR37] discarded by F when she ran away from him. F young. CR length 5.2, T 3.05, HF 2.0, Wt. 11 g., E.1.1 all measurements taken from animal fixed 2 hrs previously. Photographed 2 bobtails on film 3 (4)(5).

Went out and set Hayworths and rat traps on sandhills to south of camp. Shot two L. fasciatus these were both thought to be hirsutus because of their brown colour but when handled were obviously fascinatus. The young male collected on 20 July at Wedge Point were also this curious golden brown colour. Both Hugh and I are agreed that we saw nothing like it on Dorre, almost certainly a new subspecies.

F [WR38] with 2 f pouch young. Eyes were open, squeaking, sense of balance developed but unable to stand. maternal Wt. 2100, Length 75, T.34.5, HF 11.3, Ear 47. Joey. Wt.63 g., Length 23.5, HF5.2, Ear 1.5. Appeared not to have a blastocyst.
M [WR 39] Wt. 2100, Length 79 cm., Tail 34.5 cm, HF 10.9, Ear 5.1.
23 July 1959

Caught few m. L. fasciatus in cage trap in study area, marked and released No. 1417. Wt. 1050 g., Length 54.5, HF 10, Ear 4.7, Tail 26. Good condition. Colour is nose stripe (?) greyish but flanks with reddish brown tinge. When released and ran off it looked very brown.
[Sketch of burrow] Dugout & burrow on hill W of hospital valley. H and I worked for 4 hours & H caught a mouse at the end.

Next page: Plan of mouse hole.

Found midden at hospital site which contained buried in channel bones of small macropods. They were in quite good condition. Does this mean that macropod bones are still quite good on the surface after 50 years.

Best material in nest included the Broad-leafed Euphorbiacea (exeacaria). Nearest bush was 20* away.

Mus albocinereus [WR40] m. HF1.9, E 1.55, T 8.9, Length 16.4, Wt 15 g.
Set 10 rat traps & rest of hayworths (?) baited with toast. Went out in evening. Moon did not rise until 9.30. It was dark & very warm. There did not appear to be any more animals around but they were very easy to approach. Collected 2 L. fasciatus [WR44, 45], m. m., 1 Bettong[WR46] m
Perameles [WR42] F. and [WR43] Thetomys praeconis.

All collected on Wedge Point with handnet. Also went down to the blowout between Wedge Point and the study area where bats were hunting in the still humid air. Shot 2. They were Nyctophilus geoffroyi.

N. geoffroyi F.[WR 41 A] E 21, Forearm 39, Total length 87, Tail 29, HF 6.5 mm., Wt.11g. In formalin. Uniform furnish brown above, dark bases to hairs. Below, whitish tips to hairs with dark bases, general effect greyish. Left wing broken.

N. geoffroyi m. [WR 41 B] Total length 88, Tail 4.3, HF 4.5, E 21, Forearm 35, Wt. 7 g. Same colour as the f. but the dorsal surface and the base of the ears is more greying. This is scarcely noticeable in the F. Thetomys praeconis [WR 43] f. This little mouse was caught in my hand after having been cornered in an acanthocarpus & spinifex bush. It did not attempt to bite when caught. It made no noise. Wt 40 g., length 210, Tail 115, HF 26.5, ear 19 g. Photographed in reel (3)[ see next page]

Perameles bouganville F. [WR42] Wt.250,length (H & Tail lost), HF 5, . hind feet not developed, probably very close to newborn. 2 v. small joeys C.R, 12.5 mm.Compared skin with test of Dorre specimens skin. No real difference in colour. Preserved in spirit. Other two teats elongated & suspect that the first litter had been lost.
Next page: Thetomys praeconis [WR 43] cont.
Length of hair of middle of back 12.7 mm.
Length of hair of mid belly 7 mm.  [Sketches]
 
Colour: hair on dorsal surface grey for basal 8.5 then brown with black tips especially on crown of head. Belly except in mid ventral line white-tipped hairs with grey basal parts. General appearance white, mid ventral esp. in stomach(?) area hairs white to roots. Underges(?) (cheeks) and along flanks in transition area between white and brown tipped hairs the hairs are tipped odaceous (almost orange).

Tail is darker above than below but this is not obvious at first glance. Most obvious in distal portion where dorsal hairs are distinctly sepia while ventral areas are white. [Sketch]: teats, dorsal surface of snout, brownish grey. tick collected off ear.
Lagostrophus fasciatus m. very brown, Wt.1550 length. 69, Tail 3,5, HF 10.7 Ear 4.75. Testes removed, skin and skull, wt. tests 45, photographed reel 3.
Lagostrophus fasciatus m. [Coll. WR 45] wt 1600 Length 66 Tail. 32 HF 10.5 Ear 4.8 , photographed alive Reel 3 Bettongia lesueur m. [Coll WR46] Wt.1100 length.56 Tail 25 HF 10.2. Ear. 3. Body preserved entire in formalin. Photographed dead Reel 3.
[The animals above were photographed in reverse order].

> 24th July 1959
Got up early expecting to take "Lancelin" to Red Cliff Point but blowing very hard from North East & Lancelin has had to just put to sea.

Went out to check the traps find 2 Mus albocinereus  in Hayworth, 1 mus albocinereus in Breakback & 1 Perameles F with pouched young in Breakback. It appears that Athol's statement that "Toast has been proved in these contents " is accurate !
Caught a very small & somewhat wide Amphibolus (Adelaidensis) in the sandhills, nearly white, was in a clump of spinifex in an area predominently Olearia. Ver sluggish in the loose sand and strong wind.

Started to rain. Rained very hard indeed all afternoon and evening. Took opportunity to skin and put collection in order.
Perameles bougainville F. [WR 47] 1 pouch young m. hairless eyes open not squeaking balance not developed. Wt 17 g. Total length 12.05, Tail 4.05, E 1.4, hf 2.7. Mother: Wt. 250, L. 30, T 9.7, E 3.55, HF 4.9. Caught in sandhills in Breakback net in trap baited with toast. Vegetation Spinifex longiflora and Olearia axillaris. 4 teats, 1 long teat only ... presumably litter early U.S system not enlarged. Skin and skull, body preserved in formalin & young preserved.
Mus albocinereus
[WR 48a] F. caught in Hayworth baited with toast, vegetation etc. same as above. Wt 15 g., L 16.5, T. 9.6, E. 1.5, HG 2.1. 4 teats abdominal not pregnant, uterus very thin, animal in poor condition. preserved entire. Some hairs in stomach region white to roots.
[WR 48b] F caught in Hayworth etc. Wt. 17, L. 15.7, T. 8.4, E. 1.5, HF 2, 4 teats, 4 entire(?) foetuses, 2 left, 2 right, CR lengths in utero.
Preserved entire Animal in good condition.
[WR 48c] M. caught in Breakback as above, badly broken. Wt ?, L. ?, HF 2.2, E. 1.6. Skin and skull only.

Still raining late at night. Got to bed in a lull and was quite comfortable - in fact first early night for weeks! Nice to have all the pick up skulls straight.

Lessons to be learned from sleeping in the rain. First of all, the Safari cot is so low to the end that the "damp strikes through". Secondly, as a result by moving the underside of the bag is a swamp(?). It is not enough to cover & keep the rain off with a ground sheet. Another groundsheet must be provided for below.

>  25th July
A gusty but fine morning. The bedding dried quite happily. The cond has moved right round the clock. We must have been in the middle of a cyclone. Went out with Hugh to pick up all traps to the north. Nothing in them at all. Shot a Lagostrophus. Appears to have recently lost a joey. Removed U.G. for secting. She is a very brown animal. Shot in acacia thicket [Coll. WR49] Wt. 1600 length. 67.5 T. 32 HF 10.1 Ear 4.9.

Moved us up to the Hospital on ridge. Got a pair of bobtails. At Hospital itself about 1/3 mile from the sea found one of the yellow shore crabs. These appear to be all through the Olearia scrub between the sea and the Hospital ridge. I have not seen them inland before the heavy rain came last night.

Athol had shot 3 Lagostrophus m, m, m. 1 grey [Coll. WR50] Study skin & skull shot. AMD's no AV.
Wt. 1700, Length 68, T. 34.5, HF 10.4, E.4.7.
1 brown [Coll. WR51] m. shot AMD study skin and skull. AMD no.
Wt 1900, Length 69, T 34.5, HF 10.6, E 4.8.
1 brown [Coll. WR52] m shot AMD. Cleared sands 200 yds from beach 1/2 m. S. of Hospital. Wt 2050, Length 70, T33, HF 10.7, E. 4.9.

Walked out to the south with Hugh looking for Lagorchestes which we had not yet obtained from Bernier. No signs at all. Plenty of Lagerstrophus and birds. Saw Singing honeyeater, Sericornis, and Wrens and Swallows as well as the seabirds. Pied oystercatcher, Silver gull and Pacific gull.
In the evening went out with Hugh & Bernie netting with handnet, headlamps and spotlights, a very black night with a high wind from the SouthEast. Walked along the dunes to Wedge Pt.. Caught 2 male Lagorstrophus (both released). 3 F. Lagorstrophus with joeys. One of them dropped her joey which was large & furred but Hugh saw it in the spinifex and picked it up. Also caught 1 m. Perameles. Saw another in a bush with a Lagorstrophus but it got away, 2 Bettongs, 1 m, 1 f. with joey. 2 mus albocinereus. A very successful night. Got back to camp after having fright against a howling gale at 10.30.

Absence of a moon makes a great difference. Possibly, when the spot is played on them they lose their dark adaption and become quite helpless. This is not noticeable in bandicoots. The bandicoot was caught in my hand also one of the mice. No sound from either and no attempt to bite. Bernie caught one of the mice & it squeaked.

Mus albocinereus m. [WR 53]. Caught by hand at night in sand dunes of Wedge Point. Vegetation Spinifex longifolia & Olearia axillaris. Caught W.D.L.R., testes not descended. L.15.2, T 8.5, HF 2, E 1.45, Wf 11.5.
Mus albocinereus m. [WR 54] Caught by hand at night in sand dunes s. of Wedge Point. Vegetation as above. Caught by B. K. Brown. Testes descended. L. 18, T 9.8, HF2.1, E 1.6, Wt 14 g. Spirit Spec. Photographed reel (5)
Perameles bouganville m. [WR55] Caught by hand at night in sanddunes with Olearia, Acacia, Solanum, Spinifex, Diplolaena, Rhagodia.
[Coll. W.D.L.R.] Photographed reel (5). Wt. 200, L. 32.5, T. 9.2, E. 3.7, HF 4.9.  2 of the Lagostrophus were earmarked for Zool. Dept.
[Zool.1419] F with formed young [1418] Brown animal kept alive.
Wt. 1500, L. 69, T.32.5, HF10, E 4.5, joey f. W.170, L. 36.5, T 18, HF8.2, e. 2.9. 3rd incisor just breaking gum. Fully formed hopping clumsily. Kept alive.
[WR 56] F wt 1300, L. 65.5, T. 25.8, HF 9.4, E 4.2, taken to Perth for display. No blistock(?). Young dead in pouch F Wt 20 g., L. 15, T.6.6, HF 2.5, E. >8. Not furred , young preserved.[1420. Zool.] F with large but not fully furred young. Kept for Zool. Dept.
Bettongia lesueur F [1423]
Bettongia lesueur F [Zool.1424]

> 26th July
Still blowing Lancelin has put out to sea so no hope of getting off today. Very short of water. Lancelin has probably gone back to Carnarvon to pick up McLaughlin. Hope she will be able to get back tonight or tomorrow.

Spent morning photographing on Reel (5) the joey with F 1418-9, Mus albocinereus [WR54] and the Pemeles [WR55]. Used a complete film but should have some excellent shots. Doped the two latter with Ether first and it worked excellently. Went out in afternoon & looked for L. hirsuitus, no luck. In evening went out along the sand dunes with Hugh & Bernie. Also collected a curious prawn from the claws of one of the yellow land crabs on the beach. Preserved [but rather mangled] in formalin. It was just alive when collected.

Collected numerous L. fasciatus all brown variety. Released most of them, kept m [059] and F[1421], young f.[1422], 1 specimen m. Perameles, L Juvenile Bettong[WR58] and Lagorchestes hirsutus [WR57]
[Gave [WR61] to the little m collected in Bernier on 20th July 1959]
[WR57] F with joey. Excellent condition, a curious squeaking noise when caught. Wt 1450, Length 645, Tail 270, HF108, E 47. Joey is not postiner teat. CR length 2.3, Rt anterior teat also long. has she already lost one?
[WR58] Bettongia lesueur F young animal Wt880, L. 590, T.28.5, HF102.5, E 31 minute joey. CR length 1.4. When examined at capture approx 210 hrs pouch was empty, when examined on 27th at 10.00 hrs young present.

> 27 July 1959
Woke at dawn to find Lancelin coming over the horizon.
Photographed Lagorchestes and started new film.
While camp was packed up and staff loaded Hugh and I killed animals from previous night & weighed & measured. Got them into fridge on Lancelin. Extracted U.G. from WR56, WR57 & WR58.
56 a fasciatus has no blastocyst.
57 a hirsutus may have a blastocyst. 2 large corpora untea.
58 The Bettong, fixed U.G. entire & hope that sections will show birth passage.[WR59] m Adult L. fasciatus. Wt 2050, L.73.5, T. 34.5, HF 11.05, E 5.15. Taken back frozen for display purposes.
[WR60] M adult Perameles bouganvillei Wt125 g., L28, T.8.45, HF 5.1, E.5.15
Left Bernier at 11.30 and had a gough trip over. Slept like a log the whole way and arrived in Carnarvon about 3.30. Arranged the deep freezing of the animals with Ron and finally got away from Carnarvon at 7 pm.

> 28th July 1959
Moved off at 7am after a very cold night. Arrived Geraldton at 9.30 and had breakfast and went with Bob to see his brother. Dr R.G.Royce 94 Sandford St. Geraldton.

He told me about a letter from Mrs. E.G. Pumble (?) of Nov. 1958 telling him about a specimen  which was sent to the museum for identification Sept 1958. "received a reply "after a lengthy period". Short note in reply to 2 page letter. Identified as Missulena occatoria Walck.Get more information about this to Dr Royce.
Arrived back in Perth after an uneventful journey at 1900 hrs.
 
 
Expedition to Bernier & Dorre, July 1959 : Collecting numbers WR186 - 601.
Perth to Murchison 11th July 1959 - Carnarvon 13 July - Disaster Cove 14 July - White Beach, Quoin Bluff, Low Point, Peaked Cliff 17th July - Quoin Bluff

> 19th July - Red Cliff Point, Wedge Point, 20th July -west coast 21, 22  July, - sketch of  -hole, collected specimens' numbered from WR collection - 24 July bad weather, unable to sail to Red Cliff Point 25th July still too windy for "Lancelin" but they were able to leave Bernier Island

> 26 July - arrived back in Perth 28 July 1959.

8 Jul. 1958, 2 p.
28. Copy of ABC News item about the expedition to the North-West.

8 Jul. 1958, 1 p.
29. ABC News item about expected arrival in Meekatharra of advance party of scientists for expedition to North-West.

16 Jul. 1958, 2 p.
30. Identical letters from Ride to T.S. Edmondson and F.A. Yeates enclosing copy of Brazenor's letter (see letter 7 Jul. 1958) about National Museum of Victoria's hope to be involved in N-W expedition.

(28th July, 1958), 1 p.
31. Interim Report on the Hamersley Range Expedition.

7 Aug. 1958, 2 p.
32. Copy of ABC News report about return of scientists to Perth from Hamersley Ranges with many specimens, some rare, led by Museum Director Ride.

7 Aug. 1958, 2 p.
33. Copy of ABC News report  (sent National) about return of first major West Australian organised scientific expedition to the North-West.

7 Aug. 1958, 2 p.
34. Copy of ABC News 'Shortwave' report re. return of scientists from North-West expedition.

35. "List of specimens for the Fauna Board which have been collected by, and for the Museum during the months June, July and August, 1958, excluding the Hamersley Range Expedition", 1 p.

October, 1958", 1 p.
36. "List of specimens collected by the Museum during the months of August, September and

16 Sep. 1958, 1 p.
37. To Ride from Ray George in Onslow: departing for Barrow Is. tomorrow, Dom, Jock, Ken and Ivan Carnaby arrived yesterday after collecting good series of bird skins on way up; he has collected crays from the beach, he wants sent by return air mail an open order for M.M.A. to airfreight specimens as they won't allow C.O.D.,

16 Sep. 1958, 1 p.
38. To Ride from Jock Marshall, asking if Buller can stay longer, Farner will be joining them and room in Carnaby's vehicle for both Buller and Farner.

6 Oct. 1958, 1 p.
39. To A.J. Fraser, Superintendent of Fisheries, from R.W. George, thanking him for permission to accompany research vessel F.R.V. Lancelin on its trip to the Barrow Island area.

9 Feb. 1959, 1 p.
40. To A.J. (Jock) Marshall from Ride, about birds collected from Barrow Island: Mees (Curator of Birds) knew nothing about any arrangements for specimens to go to the Australian Museum, suggests if Aust. Museum wants duplicates of some species Allen Keast, Storer and Ripley should contact Mees.

24 Feb. 1959, 2 p.
41. To Ride from Marshall in London, Barrow Island collections were intended for both Western Australian and Australian Museum.

19 Mar. 1959, 1 p.
42. To Marshall from Ride, Mees to send John Evans 2 black & white wrens & a pair of spinifex birds & a bandicoot.

13 Apr. 1959, 1 p.
43. To Basile & Sons on Abrolhos Islands, from Ride, thanking for help given to Barry Wilson on his recent trip to the Abrolhos.

13 Apr. 1959, 1 p.
44. To Jack Nelly on Wallabi Group, Abrolhos Islands, from Ride, thanking him for help to enable Wilson to land on East Wallabi and collect specimens of wallaby, hopes for future trip to West Wallabi.

13 Apr. 1959, 1 p.
45. To Fraser from Ride, thanking him for help given by Inspector Stokoe and crew of 'Kooruldhoo' to Wilson on his successful trip to the Abrolhos.

17 Apr. 1959, 1 p.
46. To W.B. Greenwood of Kulgera Trade and Transport Co., from K. Vollprecht to send a box to him at Giles Weather Station via Finke, N.T.,

21 May 1959, 1 p.
47. To Mrs. G. White, Merkanooka, from Ride, thanking her for looking after them, and appreciate the family's help for locating fossils and kangaroos.

26 May 1959, 1 p.
48. Telegram from Douglas to Ride: 5 Macroderma sent on plane.

49. "Proposed collecting trip by R.P. McMillan" at Merredin, Dedari, Wongan Hills, for genus Astraeus, 1 p.

50. "Wanted urgently, one benefactor to sponsor a biological expedition to the Kimberleys" - Perth Museum needs finance for a joint trip with National Museum of Victoria to West Kimberleys, discusses David Ride's work, compares lack of funds  with other institutions' research expenses, 9 p.

30 Jun. 1959, 1 p.
51. To W. D'Arcy, Yardie Creek Station via Learmonth, from Mees, asking for permission to fish in his wells with Douglas, to collect blind eels reported by Alf Snell, this will be after they have collected on Bernier and Dorre Islands and leave Shark's Bay.

6 Jul. 1959 2 p.
52. To Mees from D'Arcy at Yardie Creek, some wells distant from the homestead so camping necessary, but leave gear at shearers' quarters and do the testing and bottling here, son John available to help.

14 Jul. 1959, 1 p.
53. To D'Arcy from R.W. George: Mees and Douglas will be there after they leave Shark Bay; blind shrimp sent down by Alf have gone to Holland for examination.

22 Jul. 1959, 2 p.
54. To Mees from D'Arcy: sorry unable to help with petrol supply arrangements, looking forward to Mees visit.

July 12th to 28th, 1959. 4p.
55. "Major Expeditions during 1959-1960".
Narrative of an expedition to Bernier and Dorre Islands, Shark Bay.
Personnel: W.D.L. Ride, G.F. Mees, A.M. Douglas (Western Australian Museum), R.D. Royce (State Herbarium), C.H. Tyndale-Biscoe (Zoology Dept., U.W.A.), B.K. Bowen (State Fisheries Dept.), Crew of Research vessel "Lancelin", by W.D.L. Ride.

(July 28th-August 13th 1959) 2 p.
56. "Narrative of an expedition to North-West Cape
Personnel: G.F. Mees - Leader, A. M. Douglas, by G.F. Mees,

18 Aug. 1959, 1 p.
57. To Mr. and Mrs. D'Arcy from Mees, thanking them for their hospitality; unpacking specimens and everything seems to be in good condition,

23 Mar. 1960, 1 p.
17. To Mertens from Ride, license granted for Immemann's collection from South West, recently increasing restrictions on export of Fauna, concerned about this nationalistic attitude, but says Mertens offer to return type specimens will help reduce difficulties.

6 Apr. 1960, 1 p.
18. To Ride from Mertens, thanking him for help with license, first specimens have arrived, could Ride please look for missing Varanus, also, he is keen to get specimen, if possible alive, of Pseudemydura. Your Varanus gouldii rosenbergi is still alive and well, will be returned after death.

20 Apr. 1960, 1 p.
19. To Mertens from Ride, will seek missing Varanus; regarding Pseudemydura, my assistant Miss K. Vollprecht and I are revising the Chelonia of W.A. and studying the habits and growth of Pseudemydura, will send you specimen on completion of this work.

29 Apr. 1960, 1 p.
20. To Ride from Mertens, thanking him for letter about missing Varanus. Hopes for living specimen of Pseudemydura.

 (May-June 1960)' 4 p.
21. 'Narrative of the personnel from the Western Australian Museum who took part in the Bernice P. Bishop Museum of Hawaii Expedition to Western Australia by R.W. George. A primarily mollusc hunting expedition along the west and north west coast of Western Australia. Visiting party: Muriel King, T. Reichert and Clifton Weaver (replaced by Dr P. Burgess in June). Locals: R.W. George (replaced by B.R. Wilson in June) and R.D. Royce. Half the molluscs collected and all the general invertebrates donated to the WA Museum.

27 Jun. 1960, 1 p.
22. To Ride from A.J. Fraser: Philip Spalding, leader of the Spalding-Hosmer Expedition, seeking a scientific license for William Hosmer, finally granted for one month to collect fauna from Lake McKay district for the American Museum of Natural History, from about October.

4 Oct. 1961, 2 p.
23. To Fraser from Philip Spalding, returning licenses, enclosing detailed list of reptiles and Amphibia collected for the AMNH on the Spalding-Hosmer Expedition and their locality, if any specimens not held in WA Museum they will be returned, thanks for courtesy & co-operation.

11 Oct. 1961, 1 p.
24. To Ride from Fraser, enclosing copy of letter from Spalding and list of material collected by Spalding-Hosmer Expedition.

16 Oct. 1961, 1 p.
25. To Fraser from Mees, would like one specimen each of Hydrelaps darwiniensis, Aipysurus laevis and Diplodactylus elderi.

23 Feb. 1962, 1 p.
26. To Ride from Fraser, asking whether the 3 species of reptiles requested from Spalding-Hosmer have been received and recorded.

2 Mar. 1962, 1 p.
27. To Fraser from Ride, no further correspondence from Spalding and no specimens received.

12 Mar. 1962, 1 p.
28. To Ride from Fraser, Spalding's letter said all specimens were lodged with their Museum and that they would return any specimens required after completion of expedition report, suggests leave for a few months before writing.

8 Mar. 1962, 1 p.
29. To Fraser from Wm. Hosmer, thanking for happy co-operation, regret Diplodactylus elderi incorrectly determined, should have been Diplodactylus pulcher, will send one if wanted, and am sending Hydrelaps darwiniensis and Aipysurus laevis.

26 Apr. 1962, 1 p.
30. To Ride from Fraser, enclosing letter from Hosmer, let me know if and when the two sea snakes are received.

13 Dec. 1962, 1 p.
31. To Fraser from Ride: the WAM and the American Museum of Natural History have decided to jointly investigate the mammals of W.A. and obtain the services of a collector, permit required. Will collect over 3 years and normal collecting regulations will be followed, including limits on endangered species such as Myrmecobius fasciatus. Lists of all species collected + locations will be submitted to Fraser, collector will concentrate on mammals, also freely available reptiles, birds may be excluded from permit.

18 Sep. 1959, 30 p.
2. Diary of Mr. Angus Robinson - Museum Expedition to Barlee Range 4th-9-1959 to 18th-9-1959. Members of party: Angus Robinson, A. Douglas and Allen Keast. Note: This copy of diary includes addenda made after completion of the trip. All addenda are in brackets.

19th Sep. 1959, 1 p.
3. To Ride from M. Donovan of Ullawarra Station via Carnarvon, thanking him for telegram and letter. If elusive Rock Wallaby found will send specimen to Museum.

1 Oct. 1959, 1 p.
4. To Donovan from Ride, thanks for hospitality given to Museum party, disappointed no Rock Wallaby, happy to pay air freight if one found, should be 2 in area, gives instructions on how to treat any specimen collected.

4 Dec. 1959, 1 p.
5. To Ride from C.G. Setter of Dept. of Primary Industry, Fisheries Division, Canberra, about Dr. George's wish to participate in crayfish survey on the "Bluefin" off south coast of WA, suggests arrangements for this.

18 Dec. 1959, 1 p.
6. To C.G. Setter from Ride, suggests Dr George fly to Albany (at Dept.'s expense as he will be the Commonwealth representative) and join vessel there on 14th Jan., remaining on board until it returns to Albany about 7 Feb., also Dr George will be seeing Poole Bros. re. work between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin.

21 Dec. 1959, 1p.
7. To Setter from R. George, after speaking to Poole Bros. he wants to compare Naturaliste-Leeuwin area with the Recherche Area so hopes to join ship at Fremantle, travel to Albany, return to Perth and rejoin ship at Albany or Esperance, looking forward to seeing John Sinclair on board.

23 Dec. 1959, 1 p.
8. To Ride from Setter, about fares for Dr George on "Bluefin": will be paid for by Dept.

14 Jan. 1960, 1 p.
9. To Setter from R.W. George: he was unable to join ship as Mr. Callingham unable to contact him in time; Wilfred Poole phoned and told him amateur fishermen round Albany catching Jasus; George will fly to Albany about 27 Jan. and will be on "Bluefin" until it returns to Albany approx. 25 Feb., disappointed not able to examine Naturaliste-Leeuwin area.

July, 12 Feb. 1960, 1 p.
10. To Fr. Sanz from Mees, thanking him for allowing him and Douglas to stay at Drysdale Mission, looking forward to their arrival in late June or early.


24 Feb. 1960, 2 p.
11. To B. Doherty from Mees, about a collecting trip with Athol Douglas to Kimberley Division via Derby, Drysdale Mission, Mt. House area and then to Wyndham. Main interest birds and fishes, partic. species of bird known from 3 specimens only, taken by Dr. House during 1901 Brockman Expedition. Mr. and Mrs. Beamish told him that Doherty had a station in relevant area with fresh water and fishes, asks for permission to camp there and collect, please contact Museum if interested.

24 Feb. 1960, 1 p.
12. To Mr & Mrs P. Slater in Derby, thanking for invitation to stay in Derby, please store equipment sent by ship; mentions swallow Hirundo fretensis, locality northern shore of Australia.

25 Feb. 1960, 2 p.
13. To Setter from R.W. George, praises work done by Poole Bros.; during his last trip on "Bluefin" through the Recherche they were joined by Bob Royce, Snr. Govt. Botanist and Graham Brown from U.W.A. Zoology Dept., on board to collect terrestrial fauna and flora from the islands,; pleased to get on the spot experience of Jasus lalandei.

8 Mar. 1960, 1p.
14. To R.W. George from Setter, about funding for his trip, shocked that two University members were on board without formal permission from Fisheries,  thanks George for work he did on the survey.

> Sunday 20th May.
Equipment: All kit possible sent up to Mrs Bell at Roebourne Hotel, Ride & Norton in Landrover with trailer. [Details of arrangements & kit]

>  20th May 1962 - Sunday
Through to Geraldton, Norton not interested to see examples of the effect that underlying geological stresses have on nature of the country (!) Murchison Bridge - old camp site used by us in previous northern trips.

>  21 May 1962 Monday
Murchison Bridge, a beautiful clear morning, a great change from the rain & wind of yesterday in Perth, Fred helping with breakfast, Murchison with plenty of water. Sandplain, probably Eurardy Stn, stopped to look at roo dead on road, Frank did brief sketch. For last few miles nodules of rock on surface, appears to be calcareous, Cretaceous schists with an oxidized brown crust, laminated. No. 3 Tank, the Overlander : 125 miles  to Carnarvon. Found out that Hall is owner of Wooramel, Richardson is overseer, Hall lives on station.

Water lying on surface, muddy swamp, Dedus, Herons and longlegged black & white (?) stilts. A few artifacts on surface collected. Appears to be real flint here and erosion into a fine powdery glauconitic-like deposit. Collected Rhaggada plentiful on the surface. Telephone line crosses the road at this point. Stopped where breakeras(?) cross the road. Lunch. Yaringa Hstead turnoff.
  
Wooramel Homestead, met Hall who knew nothing about bone (fossil) presented to the museum many years ago. Promised to ask his natives and I said I would call back on way south in 3 or 4 weeks. He gave me the name of Elaine Parsons' husband - Greg Campbell, Bullagaroo.
Carnarvon. Shopped in town & then to Babbage Hotel to find R.E. (Ron) Cooper.
Babbage Island. Cooper left 2 years ago !! Had a look, "no fishin" too rough, operating 3 chasers.
Cooralya turnoff. Reds plentiful, also one Odestriptyai (?).
Overshot Boologooro. Yallobia, Keith Masters, few Notomys & mice on road, Bullagaroo, Greg and Elaine Campbell, stayed night !

>  22 May. 62 Tuesday
Greg Campbell told of cave with carvings (or paintings) on Mia Mia, Moogooloo Hill (Boologooro?). Mice plentiful and came into the house, Kangaroo mice also common. Alan Mitchell 1/2 native stockman came from Port Hedland when young, knows the Moogaloo cavings. On the hill many of them : Stick men, turtles, dugongs, blue-tongued lizards, kangaroos. No hands. Cave E of Moogaloo windmill. Aeroplane drawn in rock charcoal. Alec MacDonald (N.W. Rep of MLC - building with the beacon) he has filmed the cavings. Colin McKenna of Mia Mia also has films. Porcupines in sandhills, hill called Porcupine Hill. Went down  to shearing shed where white owl is said to camp, collected pellets - four  were in water end broken up - all seem to contain Notymus, 2 dry not broken up, last one in shearing shed, remainder in Ablutions. Trapped two in food store: Mus musculus WR88.  Wandagee (?) turnoff.
Lyndon R.
Mia Mia

Drove into Onslow, met Mr R. F. LeGrand of Utah Construction and Engineering Pty Ltd. He is on his way to Goldsworthy and reckons to be back in Balla Balla in 3 weeks. There is a lugger in Onslow lying idle, owned by S.W. Clark, Forrest Ave., Bunbury, Bunbury 3333. Went into hotel, met Carpentaria Exploration team from Mt. Isa, Johnny Abbott and Chris Leach who tell of Ron Langridge of Turkey Ck. -  no police station, he acts as postmaster actually PMG linesman. They ask to be remembered. Also described a meteorite impact site on  Warrawagine Stn, present manager knows locality.

Left Onslow after dark and drove towards Mardie, crossed Robe River, camped in spinifex and grass plain. Found trapdoor spider - will dig out in morning, trapdoor concealed by ironstone pebble, ducked down the trapdoor when I approached, did not pull trapdoor to, marked and will leave until morning.

>  23rd May 1962 - Wednesday
Photos of campsite, Trapdoor spider burrow.

Trapdoor open at sunrise, closed about 1 hr later, spider holding lid on burrow, unable to open with stick, dug out burrow, depth of burrow 16cm., spider a pale brown, burrow not lined with silk but trapdoor held down with silk, collected door and top of burrow.

Robt. Sharpe at Balmoral Woolshed (shearing) says Kent Lockyer (Dogger) has a fine set of carvings up at the Fortescue, shown by Lockyer to John Coten who now works in Warrawagine. These are said to be excellent figures of corroboree scenes not just doodling. Sharp says they have large numbers of native cats on the property. These appeared about 4-5 years ago, t...chs not known to natives who said that they used to occur vicinity of Deepdale on the upper Robe - Lockyer did not know of them either. The little red marsupial is also plentiful - shiny like the head of a redheaded girl. Fat tailed, teats all from a single udder like a cow.
Left Balmoral, entered flank of Hamersley Range, Frank stopped to sketch outline of (?) Mt. Wilkie - very black, looks like burnt spinifex.

Drove to Karratha Leslie says that there were sheep on West Lewis island put there by Bateman 60-70 years ago, remains of a homestead near south-east corner, 2-300* from shore, land on all islands irrespective of tides.  We talked over Dampier's description & there is some doubt that  Dampier's  Rosemary Id. is actually the modern Rosemary and should be Enderby Id. Dampier refers to the Bluff head being on the Eastern side of the island is clearly a mistake - see his later reference to inner and outer sides. Dr Leslie had been at M.C.E.G.S. '11 to 17' a boarder Mrs L. had sister Mrs White who lived in Belenia(?), ref also to Peter Potts of H.K.
Leslies knew nothing about animals. Euros around the homestead, Reds plentiful on the plains between Karratha and Roebourne.
Arrived hotel, met Balls - nice people gave them Barry's shell.
Telegram from Lewis, Min of Edu & Native Welfare:
"Will visit Depuch Island Thursday 31st May." Ted Allen & wife, Cyril Neals.

>  24th May 1962 Thursday
Wrote letters to Margaret and to Duncan in reply of his of 22nd in which he gave the following info:

  1. Diprotodon from "the gravel beds of the banks of the Oakover R. near the old Braeside Homestead". F.S.Forrman to whom the skull was first handed says that it was found by an old prospector (name not recorded) who is now dead, and found in 1940-5 years.

  2. Vollprecht. Observatory, informed museum of a meteorite seen to fall on 21.7.61, sighted in Braeside, Woody Woody and Warrawagine stns. Noise heard and flash seen. It approached Braeside from the southwest. Duncan wrote to the manager but no info. I wrote back telling him that I would go to Braeside down the Manganese road and also that I had heard of the meteorite from the Carpentina Exploration boys who we met in Onslow. They had seen the scars of the impact. Drove out to Samson to see Bill Miller about boats.

Samson fisheries, met Bill Miller, considerable difficulty over boats. He has a freezer boat in a tidal creek which goes down as a mothership to Dampier

Archipelago - probably tomorrow, and all the fishermen start fishing. Anyone to take the party to Depuch would need to be compensated for fishing loss as well as costs. Agreed on 20 pounds per day. Agreement is that Bob McIllrick will have his 18ft boat at Balla Balla at first light on Sunday morning ready to start & that he will be available at first light Monday to return the Berndts. Further arrangements to be made from that point, all kit to be there.

>  Monday morning.
Called on Graham Wilson at Native Welfare, most helpful, just taken over, needs an outlet for aboriginal artifacts, promised to get one for him- will talk to him. Coast native Mibben Low (or Mivan Lowe) - full blood, citizen rights, said to know about coastal islands. In trouble - works on wharf on Samson. Also saw Cyril Leake, interesting local character, paints and cuts tumbled stones etc.. Had long talk in evening with Alkes(?) all Balls. - shells, promised info to Harry Tilbrook, Peter & Pat Slaters.

>  25th Friday 1962 May.
Phoned Ted Roberts, he will pick up Ron & Katharine Berndt at Balla Balla first thing on Monday. He also gave permission for the local vehicle & Graham to help me and get the people out tomorrow & to recce the route to Balla Balla today. Graham will ring him this evening to inform him of

  (a) the state of the road for minister on 31st.
  (b) Route in from Hedland to pick up Berndts.

Rang Miller: he will not sail until Friday now. Will get kit down to creek as soon as possible i.e. Tomorrow.

Rang Stan: Truck will pick up kit for Balla Balla this afternoon. Must make sure that: (a) Water drums (b) Battery are laid on.

Went out to Welcome Homestead & sorted out the stuff for Depuch & Dampier, got back to hotel & found that no petrol drums available. Phoned Bob & arranged for each member of party to bring 2 1/2 gal. containers for water.

Call from Griffick of W.A. Newspapers, they will be over to the island on 31st, booked them in with Stan Ball for night of 30th.

Drove out to Balla Balla, turnoff Hedland, Wittenoom...track Northwards, Balla Balla. Unloaded kit on a spur of land at the end of the causeway across the mudflats. A horrible journey under grey skies and patches of rain through loose mud, crabholes etc to a horrible place among the mangroves. There is the remains of an old jetty which impossible to use, a wrecked lugger lying on her side in the mud and across the mangroves great black bulk of Depuch. Back to Roebourne.

>  26th May 1962 Saturday
Got kit ready for moving to Balla Balla, went down to Samson to see Bill Miller and make final arrangements. He tells me that the tide will be bad on Thursday & that the Minister's visit will not be easy, possibly 7-1100 hrs.
Went out to Don McLeod's camp, unfortunately not there, back on Thursday.
Picked up party from plane, Boswell missed it ! Poor boy, he will be v. upset.

Trouble getting out of Roebourne, the usual business of friends giving cups of tea etc. Drove to Balla Balla, some trouble with starter motor on way & Graham Wilson had a puncture, he came down to ferry the party and will come over to the island. Found Frank Norton with a fire going and tea on, most welcome. he is doing v. well. he got the truckload halfway across the causeway & dumped (?). Had a bite to eat & then onto getting the load down to the mangroves, finished at 10 pm & to bed.

>  27th May Sunday
Left Balla with Bob McIlrick approx 8.00, took colour film on way across, arrived at foot of Watering Valley at 8.25.Searched for campsite with Graham Wilson & Frank Norton, found good site on beach to south of W. Valley. The beach is a beautiful sandy bay with mangroves in a small creek at the valley end and small dunes behind the creek at the W. Valley end and small dunes behind the creek line. There is some Acacia coriacea and white gums behind the dunes at the foot of the steep hills.

Second party had great difficulty in the mangroves, Berndts & Crawford & Girls(?).  Third party, Bob Pryce (who acted as Beachmaster) Glen Storr, Ray Penrose  arrived about lunchtime - they did a wonderful job.

Set up camp, saw a honeyeater in the acacia at Watering valley. Canid tracks everywhere and Rock wallaby scats & skulls. Went for a walk with Glen and Merrilee found a fresh fox earth in the top. Hope that Graham will be able to get a black clogger(?) over here tomorrow. Boswell may also turn up. Bob McIlrick is fitting in very well. He, Ray & Helen went fishing , no luck. Saw little wood swallows, crows, blackheaded cuckoo shrike (?), butcher bird. Went for a walk with Glen along beach.

Shot Female P[etrogale] lateralis WR89 with pouch ... male furless, eyes closed did not squeak, no balance wt.27 gm, total length 150 to nearest cm. HF29, pinnae pigmented but folded down, 2nd upper and lower incisors just visible through skin. ..920, Tail 460, HF 130, Ear 55, Wt 2000g skin, skull,  pickled carcass.

>  28th May 1962. Monday
Got fire going & went for a swim. beautiful. Bob McIlrick got a fish for breakfast, went for a walk and got pickup skulls along the beach line[Skulls Depuch 1,2,3,4], collected Artsarus(?) minor, budgie in acacia - seems lost and woeful, solitary. Singing honeyeaters plentiful but could not get in range of them, saw longifolia on edge of mangroves, prepared collecting skins with formalin & salt water, Merrilee skiing.

Walked down to Watering Valley to see if I could collect a bird, got Ablepharus with red tail and yellow longitudinal stripes, pick up skull[5.], found fresh fox earth with 2 wallaby corpses, many fox tracks. Walked up valley behind first line of rock hills behind beach, collected pickup skulls,

Royce and others also collecting pickup skulls[shells?). Went up to Beagle point & saw the Beagle inscription also one by W. Miller. Bob McIlrick says  this was carved c.1957, carvings numerous on the point. Collected skull of a  large macropod (M. rufus) on the beach dune line c.20ft above sea level or 20ft above the driftwood line. This was immediately to the E of the blue rocks to the east of the camp. Saw eagles and ospreys, nothing in osprey's nest.
Went out with Stan after dark, walked until midnight - nothing seen at all. went to bed in light rain.

>  29th May 1962 Tuesday
Went out to see if I could get some birds, no luck beyond a butcher bird on the dunes, blowing from the N.W. a nasty morning. Saw buzzard, pied & sooty oystercatchers, crows -(being attacked by a ? kestrel)[Stan saw it close and says peregrine falcon], singing honeyeaters, little woodswallows, impossible to get near enough for a successful shot. situation serious. Vertebrates v. rare in this awful rockpile, even lizards few & far between, saw only two in three days & of these collected one. Fox v. daring, came into camp last night, will set a trap.

West up to valley above camp, no luck, very sticky & muggy, started to rain hard, got bedding in & managed to get specimens under cover. Made box for them with Merrilees who lined it with polythene. West up valley behind camp then South across range and down valley tending west, eventually found gorge of Watering Valley and turned down into it, entered it below the cross-gorge & back down to the north. Shot two small pardelotes in valley above camp, only one will make a skin, got back to camp after dark, out again in evening with Glen, no luck, no eyes at all, an extraordinarily barren place.

>  30th May 1962 (Wednesday)
Went up Watering Valley with Merrilee looking for birds, saw "Japanese carving" agree with Glen that this is pseudo. [copies of script, Fisher script]
The Beagle inscription found by Glen is v. good, it is indistinct but it looks like [sketch of inscription].

On to "cross gorge", entered up right fork to the very top, collected small grey bird - lark-like(?). Reached metal trig point on high point, can see  mangroves of mainland and also islands across bay from camp, all way up this gorge various peckings in sides of gorge. Climbed down into wide high-valley of Watering Valley gorge, bands of rock & valley floor with peckings. Entered creek on far side of valley ; collected Kistlands(?) honeyeater silonage: various plants incl. Kurrajong & ficus  came down valley to deep pool just above "cross gorge" (shore this excellent goana) Excellent emu(?) peckings - large and well executed. Just below crossgorge on S. side of gorge set high : two men [sketch of pecking]. Going down gorge passed two white gums and then crossed to western side and continued down to "Chinese carvings" and Beagle inscription. Built cairn on corner block about 6ft up wall just below Beagles.

Returned to camp and cleaned up area in preparation for minister(?). Looked at air photos and decided next two days work. Decided to go up a valley to the west of Watering Valley system this opens to the seas around the coast.

>  31st May 1961 Thursday
Got up called camp, cleaned up etc. Bob McIlrick arrived with Bill Boswell -  minister held up for 24 hrs will come tomorrow. Cleaned up species shot previous day, went to Watering Valley, filmed carvings at cross valleys. Went out of right gorge into new valley and shot owlet nightjar. Back to camp, out in evening to look for wallabies - nothing.

> 1st June 1962 Friday
A complex day, no time for .... taking(?). packed up all specimens collected,  checked all labels, prepared for arrival of minister's party. This party  arrived at 10.30am. and stayed until 2.00 pm. They visited the point with the osprey's nest and saw the carvings & the two Beagle inscriptions. They then went up into the gorge with Ian. The party comprised the Minister (E.M.H. Lewis), Commissioner of Native Welfare (Frank Gare), Director of Primary Education (Wallace), District Officer Port Hedland (Ted Roberts) & press & TV. We then packed up and got off about 5.30. Great difficulty at the end at Balla Balla - press landrover bogged, stayed night at Sherlock River.

>  2nd June 1962 (Saturday)
Drove in to Roebourne with Glen and girls. Balls promised to look after them, showers etc & to get Glen (bad eye), and Merrilee (irritating sandfly bites) to hospital and then down to the boat. Went back for the others, had a bite of breakfast & then got the whole lot down to the creek behind Samson, loaded boat and got away at 10.10 hrs.

>  Dolphin Island.
Sailed around the other end of Dolphin & then into Flying Foam Passage, went ashore on beach with small lagoon with mangroves towards end of passage. Tide out, an awful portage across the sand and shallows in drizzling rain. Set camp up and tent fly up. Rain set in, all stores under fly for night.

>  3rd June Sunday 1962.
Rained hard all night - lay in until about 8.00 got breakfast for party.

Plotter notes to be taken by parties. Glen & Helen (Southern), Ride & Merrilee (about due SW across island Bob (almost due east). plan to cross to coast & look for carvings(?).  Merrilee & I left camp crossed over to the Western Broad Valley opposite Boat passage. Native carvings in rock column at Northern end of Northern pile (under cloud in air photo 5083). [page of sketches of rock carvings] Crossed over to the Eastern mangrove flood plain in Boat Passage, met Bob Royce on way. He had got too far south. Was pleased to get one specimen of the Cassia in flower, went down hill to the western side of the flat floor, crossed over at low tide to a small heap of rocks among the mangroves, found further carvings, saw Petrogale lateralis, v. distinctly: white facial stripe & lateral stripe v. clear indeed.[2 pages of drawings by Merrilee MacDonald]

Returned to camp across island heading due West. Shot Brown Honeyeater at dusk and then a female robustus young WR90: HF22, E95, TL114, Tail 57, Wt 5.4 kg. Skin & skull.

Helen reported foxholes & diggings. Glen & Helen found an aggregation of carvings at a creek below the camp in Flying Foam Passage. Bob Royce reported scattered carvings much as we did. Decided to spend next day in going to photograph Glen's site & then to try to get a male Robustus for Merrilee.

>  4th June (Monday)
Walked down to Glen's site at creek below camp in F.F. Passage, v. depressed, the carvings so far are v. poor compared with those at Depuch. They seem to be related - some fish, turtles, kangaroos etc and stick men, but also some curious "gobbies" which appear to be local. completed a b&w panx and then discovered that we were out of b&w, completed it in Ektachrome.Walked back to camp via the western edge of the broad valley hoping to get a euro. Shot a female robustus WR91, new born joey in pouch, carried it back to camp Wt 13kg, HF 24, E 11, TL 135, Tail 64, Joey later lost.

Absolutely whacked - as is the whole party. Feet are very sore from those dreadful stones, so much more difficult to move in than Depuch. These weather round and the spinifex is full of gibber like stones and the great rock piles are poorly locked and are very unstable to walk on.

>  5th June 1962 Tuesday
Shot 5 corellas from a flock of about 30 feeding near camp. Tried to walk around for a euro, no luck. Bob & Glen left after b'fast for north of island.

Bill Miller & Bob McIlrick arrived to take us to Legendre, complete misunderstanding. They will be back tomorrow to take us to Angel or Gidley.

Bob took us down to the creek where he sheltered from the cyclone. We entered it at high water, a beautiful little mangrove creek between high rock piles opening out into a broad valley, photographed entrance with boat in both Ektachrome & Plus x. This marks the start of a new Plus x(2) and the beginning of this sequence in Ektachrome.

Examined rock piles along the western edge of the water and at the beginning of the broad valley, a truly remarkable set of carvings & probably many hundreds more. Nearest to the sea there are v. archaic carvings, weathered out so far that there is little colour difference between them and the surrounding surface. 3 rocks unlike anything I have ever seen before a curious looking thing rather like the artemias one sees in salt lakes. Also a remarkable pair of tall thin people. Masses of kangaroos, most beautifully executed, some stick figs. (holding hands) are[sketch] and various unusual designs.

Altogether v. good locality. Took a whole cassette of b&w and recorded all main types. Photographed across boat passage up Wide Valley . The artemia-like creature (drawn from memory) is in the following plan [sketch]. Unfortunately Rob had to get the boat out again at high water & I had no time to sketch. Collected a robusta skull. Shot turtle. These are plentiful in this creek which Bob agrees should be called Turtle Creek. Left Turtle Creek at 12.30, on up coast to place in mangroves N. of our Camp Beach in Flying Foam Passage. Had luck on Hill top overlooking beach and Flying Foam, a most lovely place. Frank Norton Sketching. Walked down to convergence of many gorges above the beach, a great rock pile overlooking the sea, and the only thing in the centre of the rockface - a most humorous "gobbie" dancing [sketch].

Photographed peckings, lowest (ie nearest sea) is a good v. big kangaroo, some anthropomorphic "gobbies" [sketch]. The drawings are not high in number, about 1 doz. in all but of v. good quality. Location [sketch map]. Immediately facing the dancing gobbie at loc. A is a steeplejack tree (Vertilago viminalis) under which there were some old & first peckings which I could not photograph due to light [sketch]. Finished & walked back to camp. The rockpile back at camp also contains several peckings [sketch].

>  6th June 1962 Wednesday.
Blowing hard from the east. Do not expect Miller to come over now. Explored rock piles around camp.[sketches].Went back to Glen & Bobs "Stanley Chasm " to find the carvings I missed yesterday. Photographed many carvings, outstanding examples were a tern with a fish in its beak, a man with beard & various other anthropomorphic figs. Also present were typical Hedland turtles, dingoes, kangaroos etc.Gorge also contains various inscriptions by Europeans eg. W.H.1860, HT 1872.[sketch] contents of a single panel. Went back to finish off the gorge with the dancing "gobbie". Big fallen block at entrance to gorge is outstanding with 3 anthropomorphs. [sketch a turtle & 2 dogs]. Heard boat engine : Bill Miller, Les & Peter (Buck) had the advantage of a drop in the wind to come in and go through to Samson. Decided to take Frank Norton back  into Samson because there was every likelyhood of wind continuing & making it impossible for him to get to Roebourne in time for plane on Monday. Sorry to see him go -  he has been a v. good member of the party and a stabilising influence. I am also very pleased with his paintings ; to me they are a very fine record of how the party has felt about its islands. Wrote a hurried letter to Margaret, asked her to get in touch with Ray. Also sent all film exposed to date with a note to Bob requesting return of b&w shots to Roebourne.
>  7th June 1962 Thursday.
Morning started dull with slight rain . Got tent re-set up because wind had about demolished it. No sign of Bob, does not appear to be a hope of getting to Angel & Gidley today, much too strong a wind.

After lunch gave up waiting so shot several birds ie 2 singing honeyeaters and a willie-wagtail to keep the girls busy and then went out with Glen to see if I could get a male euro. Burnt spinifex looking for lizards - now have 20 Diplodactylus elderi probably more than all the museums of the world put together!

Glen's reptile score is now 14 :
Varanus gouldii, Gehyra variegata, G.(?) punctata, Diplodactylus elderi,
Phyllodactylus ocellatus, Tiliqua banchialis (?), Spheromorphus lesueri,
Ctenophorus isolepis, Ablepharus bontoni, A. taeniopleurus, A. greyii,
Amphibolurus sp.(?), Demansia psammophis, Chelonia mydas.

Collected a male M. robustus [WR92] Total length c.171 cm., HF, 27,: E 111/2, no tail length taken, skinned out in field because too heavy to bring back entire - 40 mins. woth a 2 in. pocket knife ! Steep slope with spinifex (Triodia) and rocky boulders.

>  8th June 1962 (Friday)
Cleaned up camp and prepared to move out. Bob McIlrick came in with boat and we decided to go over to Angel and Gidley for a brief spell before full tide when it would become possible to get to Legendre. Storr & Ride went, Royce & girls stayed on Dolphin.

Angel Island.
Landed on North western beach(in the passage between Angel & Gidley), no sign of macropod scats, rat holes everywhere in sandy flat, flora seems different  from that on Dolphin, fox scats, grasses everywhere but appears to be ungrazed eg Themeda on Dolphin has very little height but here it is knee height. Walking in gullys is very difficult owing to grass covering boulders. Spent 20 mins. on island, artifacts common above beach.

Gidley Island. Landed on beach opposite that on Angel, spent 20 mins on island, just like Angel grasses everywhere, fox scats, no sign of Aboriginal inhabitants.
Legendre.
Landed on Legendre approx 3 pm, v. varied vegetation, no sign of mammals, got camp up, collected some snails, wolf spiders everywhere.

>  9th June 1962 (Saturday)
Rained during the night, collected water in tent fly, we are a bit short & could be in trouble if boats are unable to come for us on Wednesday. Dried bedding, showers in the morning, walked out across the island to a red-soil depression in the centre, large number of rodent burrows in the sandy soil.

After lunch went out again with Glen. This island is predominantly made of an indunated (?) aeolianite with sand along beaches, some slight mangrove mud, valleys which are depressions filled with a sandy red loam. The ridges are of hard aeolianite with pisolites and flow laminae visible, no sign of the B. & D. fossil Boths. On the northern side of the island are sea cliffs with a wide salt spray zone of exposed aeolianite and a characteristic flora. The clifftop is also dotted with cast up boulders as on Bernier & Dorre. The burrows of mice are common everywhere there is any soil & they are often beneath Sarcostemma or Triodia. Found a skull in the ground and obtained a small murid by burning out a Triodia patch in the splash zone, it staggered out of its burrow somewhat chat was shot at, dived back into a burrow and was dug out , it made no attempt to bite or made no sound.[WR 93]1+3=8 (these could be wrong) HF 25.5, E 16, total length 21.5, tail 10, scales 12-13 per cm.

Photographed b&w, fixed in formalin, uteri richly vascularized with 3 small placentae showing though as one born and one in the other.[Colour not different from the 2 males caught on 10th June only apparent difference, rather subjective, is that  the guard hairs are less prominent and the head seems less heavy] Tail stripped when being handled

Collected three flakes from surface, appear to be granite or at least a dark igneous rock, quite foreign to Legendre. no sign of carvings and difficult to see any surface of rock hard enough to take them. Set 3 live traps baited with bread and 3 breakback mouse traps, 1 with apple & 2 with dried peach all set around corners in the central soil filled depression. Walked about with torches after dark - no sign of movement. There is a half moon, already well risen early in the evening. This may be keeping them in.

>  10th June Sunday 1962.
Shot singing honeyeater, visited traps : 1 live trap set off with murid in it. 3 breakbacks all set off one with an adult male in it, others empty. Adult  male covered with ants but appears likely to make a good skin [WR94], male, HF 26 mm. E 16.5 total length 250cm, tail 120 cm, wt 86 g., tail scales 9-10 per cm., underfur white to roots dorsal fur, very long dark guard hairs (approx 3 cm long) overlying greybased yellowish tipped dorsal hair, tail hairs about 1 1/2 scales long, incisors brownish, testes descended, skin & skull.

Photographed fore & hind feet in b&w and sde view of WR94. [WR95] male ht 28mm, E.15.5, total length 240 cm, tail 110 cm, wt 65 g, tail scales 10-11 per cm., testes descended, colour as in WR94, skin & skull. When picked up by the tail the tail stripped its skin ? escape mechanism. Walked over to ocean side of island filming. Set 3 live traps & 3 break backs.

>  11th June 1962 Monday
Trapped two Rattus in live traps, 2 break backs set off but mouse traps are really too small for this job. Ectoparasites - ! two species of tick and 1 of flea (some copulating) collected [WR96] female 2+3=10. Total length 24.5 cms, tail 12, HF25.5, E. 16.7, wt 69 g. trapped in central depression in island, red sandy loam, many burrows, live trap baited with dried fruit. Skin, skull preserved, uterus richly vascularized, 1 pigment path in one uterus and 3 in the other ? early pregnancy. [WR97] male, total length 22 cm., tail 10.5, HF27, ear 16.5 wt.49 gm. Underfur seems much thicker and longer than in WR96, young animal, testes closely applied to lower abdomen on either side of tail, no sign of descent into scrotal pouches.

Walked down into sand plain at foot of escarpment and behind the major area of mangroves on the south side of the island. Good caves along the escarpment which varies from 6-12 ft high as a small cliff. Saw rat in dusk, Glen saw 2 in daylight. Collected rat bones (in large numbers) from the caves and also saw others which are possibly human. Set 6 traps, 2 in the sand plain.

>  12th June 1962 Tuesday
0520 hrs Got up, got breakfast going to meet the boats if they come. Visited  traps, the home traps in the centre of the island contained 2 species of Spenomorphus (?) isolepis ! The only live trap contained nothing, bait - prunes - not touched. Went down to the sand plain by the big mangrove patch, 2 traps, two rats. [WR98] male, scrotal testes, wt 83 g, tail 26.5 13.1 cm, HF 28 mm, E 17 mm. [WR99], male, scrotal testes, Wt 63 gr, TL 23.3 cm, Tail 11.3 cm., HF 28... E 16.5 gm. Both caught in sand plain between limestone escarpment & the sea (mangroves), extensive warren systems, both traps baited with diced peach.Boats arrived and loaded with great difficulty owing to rapidly falling tide. Got both boats out to the islands between Legendre and Gidley by walking alongside & pushing. Aborigines will easily do the crossing. A few auks about & turtles plentiful. Landed on Malus, picked up the stores & then on to Lewis. Landed on Lewis in the bay which is greatly indented in the northeastern coast of the island. We have an excellent campsite at the eastern edge of the beach clear of the mangroves but close enough to enable us to collect mangrove birds and wood. Walked out and examined the plain behind the beach - numerous fresh rat holes and climbed the range immediately behind the camp and down into the valley on the opposite side. This is filled with dense spinifex and steppe vegetation - clearly not been burnt for many years if ever, and there are numerous rat holes. No sign of scats of macropods anywhere, a few rat droppings among the rocks in the range and many in the valley and on the coastal plain. No sign of macropod grazing. I would say there is no robustus on this island. Set the traps on the coastal plain, bait peaches. Got tent up. Collected stone curlews.

>  13th June 1962 Wednesday
A beautiful night, crisp, no rain or dew, slept soundly right through and awakened by corellas flying overhead at first light. Got fire going and breakfast on, then visited traps, nothing and no trace of a visit, must reset in valley. Worked out routes with Glen and Bob. Glen will do the edges of the Northwestern semi island and rocky headland to the west of that. I will get the traps into the next valley (seen last night) and will cross to the coast immediately opposite the camping beach (s.e. side of island) and work back to camp around the northeastern headlands. Walked out up the valley to its southern end and set traps then climbed highest hill in sight. From top could see that the passage to E. Lewis was completely above water except for some 20 or 10 feet at the East Lewis end. This will not have been more than 2 or 3 ft. below surface. The stack north of E. Lewis is also walkable too. Had lunch on the rocks of excellent rock oysters, nuts, dried fruit & an apple - meal fit for an aristo. Continued along the beach, examined an osprey's nest, no birds, no sign of scats among the rocks. Found the first drawing among the rocks at the eastern end of shingle beach. Curious drawing not seen before : micaquates (?) & curious fine drawing, another in the top of the rocks [sketches].Returned to camp via northern headland, no carvings.

>  14 June 1962 Thursday
Caught 2 rats in the live traps. These are much darker than the Legendre rats. [WR100] Female wt 100 g. 2+3=10 as in Legendre rat, TL26.5 cm, Tail 12.5 HF 27.5 mm E 18mm, Scales per cm=10. Skin, skull, carcase in spirit. Uteri much larger than in the L. animal, 5 pigment spots in one and 2 in the other. Vascularization weak compared with Legendre. This rat is much more shaggy haired than the Legendre rat and seems to be a very much gentler creature The female has a pale tip to its tail but this may just be an individual variant. [WR101]Male, wt 115 gm, T L 26.5 cm, HF 27 mm, E 18mm, scales per cm 9-10, testes scrotal, skin, skull, carcase in spirit. Went back into valley with Royce and then over to coast to locate the carvings accurately in the air photos. Did this & then back to camp, no further carvings. Bob McIlrick came in the evening, fishing v. bad, he is willing to work for us, laid in a full day. Rosemary then Enderby followed by the Intercourses if there is time.

>  15th June 1962 Friday
Rosemary.
0730 Bob turned up, off to Rosemary, quite a surge, landed in beach on northern side. Royce did a circle around from the beach, Stan went over to the north western point to look at the rocks for carvings and to collect lizards. Ride went down the main rocky ridgefrom the north beach and then across to the main massif. Rock wallabies (P. rothschildi) very common, their tracks numerous among the low coastal vegetation, droppings everywhere. Climbed rock piles and rothschildi everywhere, stood still & they were very inquisitive and came down and looked at me, some got within 12 feet or so. Took numerous photographs - b&w and col. should have an excellent series. Characteristic arms straight out in front when agitated, pose exactly like the woodstock animals in the yards at Zoology. Animals paid little attention to me. One of the animals - a large one - was very pugnacious about a position among the rocks, gave other animals physical hell which intruded. Hope I got a photo of them fighting. Collected a curious new land mollusc on the top end on the southern side of the massif, v. flat  on top - unlike anything I have seen. Saw a deep (rich) brown Egernia about 8 inches long with thin tapering tail., v. short snout with yellowish labial scales.[Glen says (?) stinolata group]. Found carvings on s.w. of massif. There is some coastal limestone here like Legendre in valley. Picked up boat out south western beach. Tracks of wallabies v. plentiful. Time on island approx 4 hours.

Enderby.
On to Enderby. Landed at E. end of major northern beach, walked across island to large pillar of rocks visible in hills in south. Crossed large claypan. No carvings seen but artifacts numerous. Wallaby tracks everywhere, wallabies seen by Glen, Merrilee and Helen who seem to think it is Rothschildi, Merrilee says it is naturalis but she didnt see the face or side view at all. These were all coming coastal indirectly. Picked up skulls, time on island 2 hours. The carvings on Rosemary are good quality but I had very little time to do more than locate them. There seems to be a predominance of anthropomorphs in the small series I saw, but I saw and photographed an excellent turtle. I am certain that a longer visit would reveal many more. Back to Lewis.

>  16th June 1962 Saturday
0600 hrs Got up and awakened camp. Bill Miller and Bob McIlrick turned up and took whole party & stores etc to "Collier' over anchored at Malus.

Sailed for Samson. Arrived Samson, very heavy swell, difficult to get ashore, left kit for next day and disembarked for hotel.

>  17th June 1962
Drove out to Black Hill Pool, sketched main types starting at the white gum on the further side of the pool and about 80 yards beyond the water, blazed with R. [10 drawings].  Merrilee Macdonald's freehand drawings in front of Oakover Notebook.